Holes

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All Rise...

The Charge

Diggin' it.

Opening Statement

In the midst of Harry Potter-mania, an unassuming novel slipped under
the radar and into the collective consciousness of teen America, creating a near
overnight sensation. While on the surface it wasn't quite clear what drew
millions of kids to this story, the fervor captured the attention of Hollywood,
and a film adaptation was underway before you could say "yellow spotted
lizards." Nine times out of ten, hot properties rushed into production wind
up falling flat on their faces. Yet, this was something different. The beloved
magic of the book became brand new magic on the screen. Two hours at Camp Green
Lake is one sentence you won't mind serving.

Facts of the Case

Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LeBeouf, The Battle of Shaker Heights)
is a kid we all know. Fumbling for words, stumbling through life, he is the last
one picked to play softball and the first one to get pushed down the stairs. His
family has him believing they are all cursed, thanks to a promise his
great-great-grandfather neglected to fulfill for an old gypsy woman (Eartha
Kitt, The Emperor's New Groove).
So, it's not surprising that Stanley gets arrested for stealing an all-star
athlete's shoes, when they fall from the sky and land on his head. Now it's off
to Camp Green Lake for 18 months of rehabilitation with other troubled youth.
This wonderland, owned and operated by the elusive Warden (Sigourney Weaver),
the maniacal Mr. Sir (John Voight, Midnight Cowboy), and the eccentric
Dr. Pendanski (Tim Blake Nelson, O Brother,
Where Art Thou?), purports to teach these boys to be better men by digging
holes through the scenic nothingness of the Texas outback. True to form, the new
kid disrupts the status quo, igniting a chain of events that unravels more than
150 years of history, myth, and legend in both spectacular and heartbreaking
fashion.

The Evidence

Films that juggle and interweave storylines across time can be tricky
business. To keep your audience engaged and on track requires a master
storyteller and skilled hand behind the camera. Quentin Tarantino did it with Pulp Fiction, Christopher Nolan did it
with Memento, and director Andy Davis (The Fugitive) and screenwriter Louis
Sachar have done it here.

I once saw a performance artist use an adapted version of Jackson Pollock's
splatter paint technique live on stage. While working to tunes by John Lennon,
The Doors, and Jimi Hendrix, he seemingly tossed gallons of vibrant paints
against three separate canvases, like a man possessed. When the music stopped,
he turned each canvas upside down to reveal three amazingly accurate portraits
of Lennon, Morrison, and Hendrix. Davis and Sachar have done something similar,
weaving three disparate melodies—The Yelnats Family curse, Kissing Kate
Barlow, and Camp Green Lake—across time and space, only to have them
collide in a symphony of karmic convergence, with good triumphing over evil,
boys becoming men, and individuals understanding and accepting their true
purpose in life.

While the storytelling is exceptional, the performances are the glue that
holds everything together. I don't know if you are familiar with the
award-winning Disney Channel series Even Stevens—I am, only because
certain members of my family (who shall remain nameless) are fans—but Shia
LeBeouf is an absolute nut, and I mean that in a good way. The most important
thing an actor can bring to a role is commitment, body and soul. Shia not only
possesses this fearless quality, but also embraces it. At no point in this film
will anyone question the authenticity of Stanley Yelnats IV. While this
character isn't far from his portrayal of Louis Stevens, it is no less
compelling.

Shia does not carry this film alone, for the triad of storylines demands
several more critical performances. With his portrayal of Mr. Sir, Jon Voight
gives a master class in character study. Going above and beyond the call of
duty, Voight's performance is so off-the-wall you can't help but be drawn to it.
The same holds true for Tim Blake Nelson as Dr. Pendanski. Not having seen the
Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou?, I
was not familiar with Nelson's work. You may not be either, but after this
you'll want to seek out those other films. On the other hand, we all know the
range and caliber of talent possessed by Sigourney Weaver. In her performance as
The Warden, Weaver skillfully utilizes sexually charged intimidation to
disorient all the males at Camp Green Lake, while playing her true hand close to
the vest in anticipation of the perfect opportunity to make her move.

This triumvirate of evil represents the oppressive discrimination,
totalitarianism, and injustice most teenagers feel growing up. While the
majority of Camp Green Lake residents have resigned themselves to this fate and
adopted a Lord of the Flies mentality, Stanley is the catalyst that
throws this well ordered system into complete and utter chaos. In partnership
with the strong, silent Zero—played to perfection by young Khleo Thomas
(Friday After Next)—Stanley
ignites an anarchistic revolt that brings down everything the staff and
residents of Camp Green Lake had come to know.

Surprisingly, these performances only tell one third of the tale. In the
story's more recent past, Dulé Hill (The West Wing) and Patricia
Arquette (Ed Wood) provide the film's love
story, a forbidden relationship that angers the townsfolk and drives the
schoolmarm, Ms. Katherine, to a life of criminal vengeance. [Sadly, actor Scott
Plank (A Chorus Line), the target of
Kissing Kate's aggression, passed away shortly after the film had wrapped.] In
the story's far past, we are treated to a screwball retelling of the Yelnats
family curse, punctuated by a brilliant turn from the ever-engaging Eartha
Kitt.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the brief but entertaining
performances of Henry Winkler (The
Waterboy), Siobhan Fallon (Saturday Night Live), and Nate Davis (yes,
the director's father) as Stanley's family. They and Kitt are the icing on an
already magnificently presented dessert.

Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the transfer is magnificent. The
colors and imagery so effectively capture the heat, sweat, and grime of Camp
Green Lake that you'll be reaching to turn on the air conditioner before the
credits roll. Further enhancing your viewing pleasure, there is no evidence of
digital tampering or interference to distract you. The picture is given even
greater depth by a 5.1 Dolby surround track and a mesmerizing score by
underappreciated composer Joel McNeely (The Young Indiana Jones
Chronicles). I'll admit there were untapped opportunities for more diverse
directional effects, but one really can't complain. The same holds true for the
bonus materials. Two feature commentaries provide a wealth of production insight
(Davis and Sachar) and teen exuberance (Shia, Khleo, Jake, and Max), as do two
behind-the-scenes featurettes—Boys of D Tent (11 minutes), Digging the
First Hole (9 minutes)—and a brief gag reel (2 minutes). Six deleted
scenes are just that and do little to add to the film, while the overall package
is capped with a cast music video ("Dig It") and a trunk full of
Disney studio trailers.

Closing Statement

Credit the entire cast and crew of Holes for a job well done. Whether
or not you are a fan of the book, this is one film the entire family is sure to
enjoy. At $26.99, don't hesitate to add it to your collection.

The Verdict

All charges against Holes are summarily dismissed. Everyone involved
is hereby remanded to a more tropical climate for some well-deserved rest and
relaxation. This court is adjourned.